Improvement in mowing-machines



F. A. GEISLER.

v Mowing Maching. No. 85,378. I Patented DEC- 29, 1868.'

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. GEISLER, OF BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOWlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 85,378, dated December 29, 1868 To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERIOKA. GnrsLER, of Bristol, in the county of Bristol and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mowing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and. exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in mowing-machines, the object of which is to provide a more improved construction than any now in use.

The improvements consist, first, in the arrangement of means for raising the shoe and finger-bar off the ground; second, in a method of readily gearing and ungearing the cutteroperating mechanism.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectional elevation of my improved machine, taken on the line as aof Fig. 2. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 represents a partial front elevation.

Similarletters of referenceindicatelike parts.

A represents the inner shoe, having a slot near the top, for the end of the cutter-bar to work in, and a notch through the upper portion of the said slot, to admit the passage of the strengthening-rib B, which I attach to the upper face of the bar. I also increase the width of the cutter-bar near the inner end, for the purpose of strengthening it.

I have found, in practice, th'at'the cutterbars may frequently break nearthe connections with the pitman, owing partly to the lateral strains due to the vibrations of the pitmen, and partly to the fact that a greater amount of tension is exerted at that point, owing to the necessity of the M8 inertite of the whole bar being overcome at this place.

For raising the cutters above the ground, I provide the bell'crank O, by pivoting it to the frame, and connecting it to the main shoe and to the drum D by suitable cords or chains, the said drum being supported on a vertical crankshaft, E, conveniently arranged, with reference to the drivers position, for him to operate it while driving; and for the purpose of readily gearing or ungearing the cutter operating mechanism, I propose to arrange the shaft F, which receives motion from the main axle, in sliding bearings on the under side of the framepieces Gr, which are connected by the links H to the arms H, pivoted to the frame, and supporting, at their upper ends, the shaft I, having a foot-piece, I, attached thereto, and which shaft is arranged to be pressed over the spring catch K, when it is desired to gear the parts together. I

The said spring-catch K is also provided with a foot-piece, by which it may be pressed down to disengage the shaft from the spring, when it is desired to ungear the operating mechanism.

Instead, however, of this arrangement, the driving-wheel L may be arranged loosely on its shaft, and a loose coupling combined with it, to be moved into or out of gear with the said wheel by a similar mechanism.

. In order to be able to form the finger-bar as light as possible, and at the same time maintain the requisite degree of strength, I propose to form it with a downward-projecting rib, M, as shown in Fig. 1, and form that portion of the fingers which lap under it of the same thickness as the said rib, and of a sulficient breadth to fill the space lengthwise of the bar flush with the said rib; and in order to prevent the inner shoe and guards becoming entangled with the fallen grass adjacent to that which is standing, I provide the moldboard N upon the outer shoe, as clearly represented in Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The crank-shaft E, drum D, and bellcrank 0, arranged and combined with the shoe A, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The crank-shaft F, arranged in sliding bearings, and connected to the vibrating arms H, supporting the ad justin g-shaft I, combined with the spring-catch K, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

FREDERICK A. GEISLER.

Witnesses N. OoGeEsHALL, EVELIN B. COGGESHALL. 

